City pursues second grant for Kids’ Quarters

by Melissa Martin

Sept. 3 city council meeting

Brecksville City Council passed a resolution authorizing the administration to apply for a $50,000 grant to help fund the second phase of the Kids’ Quarters Project at the community center.

The grant would come from the Cuyahoga Community Development Supplemental grant program, which funds projects to help strengthen cities, encourage regional collaboration and improve the quality of life for county residents.

Community Development Director Monica Bartkiewicz told council that the county encourages communities to use this funding for projects already underway or to supplement the cost of upcoming projects. Following an Aug. 20 public hearing and input from residents, she said city administrators determined the Kids’ Quarters project would be the best use for the grant.

The program provides 100% reimbursement for eligible projects, not to exceed $50,000.

The first phase of the Kids’ Quarters Project was completed this year.

City Engineer Gerry Wise said the city plans to apply for a second grant, from the District One Integrating Committee in conjunction with the Ohio Public Works Commission.

Wise told council the city had four culvert projects that were being considered for grant funding, but that list was narrowed down to two – Highland Drive and Sentinel Avenue culverts – this summer. He said the city expects to know whether it will receive any of the funding by late November or early December. He said the city recently received a grant from the program, so he doesn’t expect to receive a large chunk of funding in the next few years.

“Once we know [the outcome of the grant application] though, then we can plan when these projects can be put into the schedule,” Wise said

Winter preparation

Council authorized the $19,683 purchase of seven new snowplow blades for the service department. Service Director Joe Kickel said the city attempted to purchase the blades in 2023, but the vendor went out of business.

“So we never got them,” Kickel told council, noting the price for the equipment is slightly higher than last year.

Subdivision approval

After the planning commission approved final design for a new Highland Drive subdivision Aug. 22, council voted 6-1 to approve the project. The new subdivision will feature 16 homes on the site of the former Highland Elementary School.

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights Board of Education agreed to sell the 21-acre property to Triban Investments LLC, based in Concord, Ohio, in February 2023 for $1.1 million. Construction of the subdivision, which will consist of a single cul-de-sac street, is expected to begin this fall. ∞